|
|
|
|
1. It happened that a troublemaker named Sheba son of Bicri from the tribe of Benjamin was there. He blew the trumpet and said: "We have no share in David! People of Israel, let's go home!"
|
1. And there H8033 happened H7122 to be there a man H376 of Belial H1100 , whose name H8034 was Sheba H7652 , the son H1121 of Bichri H1075 , a Benjamite H1145 : and he blew H8628 a trumpet H7782 , and said H559 , We have no H369 part H2506 in David H1732 , neither H3808 have we inheritance H5159 in the son H1121 of Jesse H3448 : every man H376 to his tents H168 , O Israel H3478 .
|
|
2. So all the Israelites left David and followed Sheba son of Bicri. But the people of Judah stayed with their king all the way from the Jordan River to Jerusalem.
|
2. So every H3605 man H376 of Israel H3478 went up H5927 from after H4480 H310 David H1732 , and followed H310 Sheba H7652 the son H1121 of Bichri H1075 : but the men H376 of Judah H3063 cleaved H1692 unto their king H4428 , from H4480 Jordan H3383 even to H5704 Jerusalem H3389 .
|
|
3. David came back to his palace in Jerusalem. He had left ten of his slave women there to take care of the palace. Now he put them in a locked house. He gave them food, but he did not have sexual relations with them. So they lived like widows until they died.
|
3. And David H1732 came H935 to H413 his house H1004 at Jerusalem H3389 ; and the king H4428 took H3947 H853 the ten H6235 women H802 his concubines H6370 , whom H834 he had left H5117 to keep H8104 the house H1004 , and put H5414 them in ward H1004 H4931 , and fed H3557 them , but went H935 not H3808 in unto H413 them . So they were H1961 shut up H6887 unto H5704 the day H3117 of their death H4191 , living H2424 in widowhood H491 .
|
|
4. The king said to Amasa, "Tell the men of Judah to meet with me in three days, and you must also be here."
|
4. Then said H559 the king H4428 to H413 Amasa H6021 , Assemble H2199 me H853 the men H376 of Judah H3063 within three H7969 days H3117 , and be thou H859 here H6311 present H5975 .
|
|
5. So Amasa went to call the men of Judah together, but he took more time than the king had said.
|
5. So Amasa H6021 went H1980 to assemble H2199 the men of H853 Judah H3063 : but he tarried longer H3186 than H4480 the set time H4150 which H834 he had appointed H3259 him.
|
|
6. David said to Abishai, "Sheba son of Bicri is more dangerous to us than Absalom was. Take my men and chase him before he finds walled cities and escapes from us."
|
6. And David H1732 said H559 to H413 Abishai H52 , Now H6258 shall Sheba H7652 the son H1121 of Bichri H1075 do us more harm H3415 than H4480 did Absalom H53 : take H3947 thou H859 H853 thy lord H113 's servants H5650 , and pursue H7291 after H310 him, lest H6435 he get H4672 him fenced H1219 cities H5892 , and escape H5337 H5869 us.
|
|
7. So Joab's men, the Kerethites and the Pelethites, and all the soldiers went with Abishai. They went out from Jerusalem to chase Sheba son of Bicri.
|
7. And there went out H3318 after H310 him Joab H3097 's men H376 , and the Cherethites H3774 , and the Pelethites H6432 , and all H3605 the mighty men H1368 : and they went out H3318 of Jerusalem H4480 H3389 , to pursue H7291 after H310 Sheba H7652 the son H1121 of Bichri H1075 .
|
|
8. When Joab and the army came to the great rock at Gibeon, Amasa came out to meet them. Joab was wearing his uniform, and at his waist he wore a belt that held his sword in its case. As Joab stepped forward, his sword fell out of its case.
|
8. When they H1992 were at H5973 the great H1419 stone H68 which H834 is in Gibeon H1391 , Amasa H6021 went H935 before H6440 them . And Joab H3097 's garment H4055 that he had put on H3830 was girded H2296 unto H5921 him , and upon H5921 it a girdle H2289 with a sword H2719 fastened H6775 upon H5921 his loins H4975 in the sheath H8593 thereof ; and as he H1931 went forth H3318 it fell out H5307 .
|
|
9. Joab asked Amasa, "Brother, is everything all right with you?" Then with his right hand he took Amasa by the beard to kiss him.
|
9. And Joab H3097 said H559 to Amasa H6021 , Art thou H859 in health H7965 , my brother H251 ? And Joab H3097 took H270 Amasa H6021 by the beard H2206 with the right H3225 hand H3027 to kiss H5401 him.
|
|
10. Amasa was not watching the sword in Joab's hand. So Joab pushed the sword into Amasa's stomach, causing Amasa's insides to spill onto the ground. Joab did not have to stab Amasa again; he was already dead. Then Joab and his brother Abishai continued to chase Sheba son of Bicri.
|
10. But Amasa H6021 took no H3808 heed H8104 to the sword H2719 that H834 was in Joab H3097 's hand H3027 : so he smote H5221 him therewith in H413 the fifth H2570 rib , and shed out H8210 his bowels H4578 to the ground H776 , and struck H8138 him not H3808 again ; and he died H4191 . So Joab H3097 and Abishai H52 his brother H251 pursued H7291 after H310 Sheba H7652 the son H1121 of Bichri H1075 .
|
|
11. One of Joab's young men stood by Amasa's body and said, "Everyone who is for Joab and David should follow Joab!"
|
11. And one H376 of Joab's men H4480 H5288 H3097 stood H5975 by H5921 him , and said H559 , He H4310 that H834 favoreth H2654 Joab H3097 , and he H4310 that H834 is for David H1732 , let him go after H310 Joab H3097 .
|
|
12. Amasa lay in the middle of the road, covered with his own blood. When the young man saw that everyone was stopping to look at the body, he dragged it from the road, laid it in a field, and put a cloth over it.
|
12. And Amasa H6021 wallowed H1556 in blood H1818 in the midst H8432 of the highway H4546 . And when the man H376 saw H7200 that H3588 all H3605 the people H5971 stood still H5975 , he removed H5437 H853 Amasa H6021 out of H4480 the highway H4546 into the field H7704 , and cast H7993 a cloth H899 upon H5921 him, when H834 he saw H7200 that every H3605 one that came H935 by H5921 him stood still H5975 .
|
|
13. After Amasa's body was taken off the road, all the men followed Joab to chase Sheba son of Bicri.
|
13. When H834 he was removed H3014 out of H4480 the highway H4546 , all H3605 the people H376 went on H5674 after H310 Joab H3097 , to pursue H7291 after H310 Sheba H7652 the son H1121 of Bichri H1075 .
|
|
14. Sheba went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel Beth Maacah. All the Berites also came together and followed him.
|
14. And he went through H5674 all H3605 the tribes H7626 of Israel H3478 unto Abel H59 , and to Beth H1038 -maachah , and all H3605 the Berites H1276 : and they were gathered together H7035 , and went H935 also H637 after H310 him.
|
|
15. So Joab and his men came to Abel Beth Maacah and surrounded it. They piled dirt up against the city wall, and they began hacking at the walls to bring them down.
|
15. And they came H935 and besieged H6696 H5921 him in Abel of Beth H62 -maachah , and they cast up H8210 a bank H5550 against H413 the city H5892 , and it stood H5975 in the trench H2426 : and all H3605 the people H5971 that H834 were with H854 Joab H3097 battered H7843 the wall H2346 , to throw it down H5307 .
|
|
16. But a wise woman shouted out from the city, "Listen! Listen! Tell Joab to come here. I want to talk to him!"
|
16. Then cried H7121 a wise H2450 woman H802 out of H4480 the city H5892 , Hear H8085 , hear H8085 ; say H559 , I pray you H4994 , unto H413 Joab H3097 , Come near H7126 hither H5704 H2008 , that I may speak H1696 with H413 thee.
|
|
17. So Joab came near her. She asked him, "Are you Joab?" He answered, "Yes, I am." Then she said, "Listen to what I say." Joab said, "I'm listening."
|
17. And when he was come near H7126 unto H413 her , the woman H802 said H559 , Art thou H859 Joab H3097 ? And he answered H559 , I H589 am he . Then she said H559 unto him Hear H8085 the words H1697 of thine handmaid H519 . And he answered H559 , I H595 do hear H8085 .
|
|
18. Then the woman said, "In the past people would say, 'Ask for advice at Abel,' and the problem would be solved.
|
18. Then she spoke H559 , saying H559 , They were wont H1696 to speak H1696 in old time H7223 , saying H559 , They shall surely ask H7592 H7592 counsel at Abel H59 : and so H3651 they ended H8552 the matter .
|
|
19. I am one of the peaceful, loyal people of Israel. You are trying to destroy an important city of Israel. Why must you destroy what belongs to the Lord?"
|
19. I H595 am one of them that are peaceable H7999 and faithful H539 in Israel H3478 : thou H859 seekest H1245 to destroy H4191 a city H5892 and a mother H517 in Israel H3478 : why H4100 wilt thou swallow up H1104 the inheritance H5159 of the LORD H3068 ?
|
|
20. Joab answered, "I would prefer not to destroy or ruin anything!
|
20. And Joab H3097 answered H6030 and said H559 , Far be it H2486 , far be it H2486 from me, that H518 I should swallow up H1104 or H518 destroy H7843 .
|
|
21. That is not what I want. But there is a man here from the mountains of Ephraim, who is named Sheba son of Bicri. He has turned against King David. If you bring him to me, I will leave the city alone." The woman said to Joab, "His head will be thrown over the wall to you."
|
21. The matter H1697 is not H3808 so H3651 : but H3588 a man H376 of mount H4480 H2022 Ephraim H669 , Sheba H7652 the son H1121 of Bichri H1075 by name H8034 , hath lifted up H5375 his hand H3027 against the king H4428 , even against David H1732 : deliver H5414 him only H905 , and I will depart H1980 from H4480 H5921 the city H5892 . And the woman H802 said H559 unto H413 Joab H3097 , Behold H2009 , his head H7218 shall be thrown H7993 to H413 thee over H1157 the wall H2346 .
|
|
22. Then the woman spoke very wisely to all the people of the city. They cut off the head of Sheba son of Bicri and threw it over the wall to Joab. So he blew the trumpet, and the army left the city. Every man returned home, and Joab went back to the king in Jerusalem.
|
22. Then the woman H802 went H935 unto H413 all H3605 the people H5971 in her wisdom H2451 . And they cut off H3772 H853 the head H7218 of Sheba H7652 the son H1121 of Bichri H1075 , and cast it out H7993 to H413 Joab H3097 . And he blew H8628 a trumpet H7782 , and they retired H6327 from H4480 H5921 the city H5892 , every man H376 to his tent H168 . And Joab H3097 returned H7725 to Jerusalem H3389 unto H413 the king H4428 .
|
|
23. Joab was commander of all the army of Israel. Benaiah son of Jehoiada led the Kerethites and Pelethites.
|
23. Now Joab H3097 was over H413 all H3605 the host H6635 of Israel H3478 : and Benaiah H1141 the son H1121 of Jehoiada H3077 was over H5921 the Cherethites H3774 and over H5921 the Pelethites H6432 :
|
|
24. Adoniram was in charge of the men who were forced to do hard work. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder.
|
24. And Adoram H151 was over H5921 the tribute H4522 : and Jehoshaphat H3092 the son H1121 of Ahilud H286 was recorder H2142 :
|
|
25. Sheba was the royal secretary. Zadok and Abiathar were the priests,
|
25. And Sheva H7724 was scribe H5608 : and Zadok H6659 and Abiathar H54 were the priests H3548 :
|
|
26. and Ira the Jairite was David's priest.
|
26. And Ira H5896 also H1571 the Jairite H2972 was H1961 a chief ruler H3548 about David H1732 .
|